Ruling, oppn unanimous on Nadia plant

Kalyani (WB): In a far cry from opposition to farm land acquisition elsewhere in West Bengal, all the political parties have unanimously decided to facilitate acquisition of 18 acres of agricultural land for a water treatment plant at Chakdah in Nadia district.

Belying all the misgivings, an all party meeting on Saturday decided to help in acquisition of land for the project, which is vital for the interest of a vast area under Chakdah block, in the presence of district officials and West Bengal Minister of State, Panchayat and Rural Development Bankim Ghosh.

The plant, to ensure supply of arsenic-free water for about 2.5 lakh people, was proposed to be set up at Chakdah Palagachha village.

Ghosh said, "All the parties unanimously agreed that the 18-acre land will be acquired for the sake of the development of the area.
"It is undoubtedly an encouraging sign given the present scenario of unrest in Bengal," he quipped.

Trinamool Congress Zilla Parishad member Chanchal Debnath said, "We have given consent on condition that the interest of the cultivators have to be saved. The small number of farmers will be compensated according to the government guidelines."

The project cost was Rs 113 crore.

The district administration was hopeful about completing the work by November, 2011.
Of the 18 acres, eight acres were vested land, two acres belonged to farmers while `land deeds` were distributed among farmers for the rest eight acres. However, the whole land was being used for farming purpose so long.